An extremely low-fat, plant-based diet may help ease the debilitating
fatigue so common in patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis, a
small study conducted through Oregon Health & Science University has found.

According to OHSU, the study is the first
randomized-controlled trial examining the potential benefits of such a diet on
MS management.

The dietary shift apparently had no impact on some other
aspects of MS, including the number of brain lesions seen in patients.

An OHSU news
release quotes Dr. Vijayshree Yadav,
clinical medical director of the OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center:
"This study's results — showing some notable improvement in fatigue for people
who follow this diet — are a hopeful hint of something that could help many
people with MS."

The study, which began in 2008, looked at the effects of following the McDougall
Diet, which was devised by a physician, is extremely low in saturated fat and
focuses on eating starches, fruits and vegetables. The diet excludes meat, fish
and dairy products.

A group
of 22 patients with MS followed the diet for 12 months, while a control group
of 27 did not.

Researchers
found no difference between the two groups in relapse rate or level of disease-caused
disability. Those who followed the diet lost significantly more weight and had
significantly lower cholesterol levels than those in the control group. The
dieters also scored higher on a questionnaire that measured quality of life and
overall mood.

The study was
to be presented Thursday at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting
in Philadelphia, Pa. Co-author is Dr. Dennis
Bourdette,chair of OHSU's Department of Neurology, director of its
MS Center.